It Shimmers in the Night
by DarkAngelOfSorrowReturns
Summary: Draco had never paid close attention to his best mate, and when he sees it shimmering in the night, he probably should have. Soulmate!AU, Canon Divergent/Modern!AU


Note: Soulmate!AU, Canon Divergent/Muggle!AU

* * *

"You awake, mate?"

Opening his eyes, Draco groaned and rolled over on his side in his bed. He rubbed his eyes and glared in the direction of his friend, Theo, who was lingering near the doorway to his bedroom.

"Don't make me regret letting you be my roommate," Draco drawled sleepily, face half buried in his pillow.

Theo snorted lightly, running a hand through his messy, dark hair. "I wouldn't be bothering you if it weren't important. I know you adore your beauty sleep."

"You're damn right," Draco replied, turning his body so he was completely on his back. He propped himself on his elbows and looked at Theo. He could see the stress in the way Theo's brows creased.

"What is it?" he asked, but the low rumbling from outside. "Storms still messing with your head, mate?"

The nod was small, but it was still evident that he nodded.

Draco sighed, patting the spot next to him. He'd known the guy since they were younger; their families were always around each other. He considered them close, perhaps closer than they should be with some of the things they've done with each other, which included sharing a bed when Theo was scared.

Theo never told him how the fear of storms came about, and Draco never asked. As curious and entitled Draco was, he wouldn't push his best friend. Not when he was his biggest confidant.

"Mind if I remove my shirt? It's gotten kind of hot in here," Theo said.

Draco made a gesture with his hand. "Go on ahead. We'll say it's because of me," he said with a tired smirk.

Theo laughed and started to remove his jumper. Another rumble of thunder caused him to stop midway, his shirt covering his head.

Draco watched him closely, preparing to move to his friend's aid if needed. But something caused him to pause. While he knew that Theo had scars from his father, Draco had never seen the tattoo he mentioned once.

It was probably because of his own tattoo that Draco didn't particularly bother with questioning Theo about it further. Some friend he was.

The tattoo was a shimmering metallic gold, moving with his stomach as it rested on his abdomen. Its lines looked smooth yet sharp as it was drawn to resemble fire. It rose up Theo's body as he managed to get his shirt completely off.

He looked at Draco with a concerned, questioning look. "You all right, mate?" he asked.

Draco opened his mouth to say something when lightning struck, eyes drifting to the blanket draped around his waist where his own tattoo was, and rain hit the windows hard. Theo's body shook once more, and he closed his eyes.

"It's nothing, just get into bed, you oaf," Draco said finally.

Theo walked over with no hesitation, slipping under the covers and clutching the free pillow next to Draco. He looked over his shoulder to Draco, giving him a stiff yet grateful nod. "Thanks, Draco."

Draco shook his head. "Don't worry about it, Theo. Until I need you to do something for me," he told him with a weak smile. Whether he was trying to distract himself or Theo was undetermined. It was probably them both.

The scoff that came from his dark-haired friend showed him that it worked on Theo's end. Theo turned around and tried to go to sleep.

Draco's eyes drifted to the flames moving to Theo's shoulders while his back was facing the blonde, but what caused Draco to nearly freeze was that his own tattoo, lines curved into black, matte scales, had moved from his waist underneath the covers to his chest.

"Can it be?" he said, the question coming out louder than intended.

Theo didn't turn around, but his movement signalled that he was awake. "What was that?" he asked groggily.

"What was what?" Draco said, playing it off.

"You heard that, right?"

"Not at all."

"Don't lie to me."

Draco rolled his eyes. "I didn't hear a thing, Theo, go back to sleep."

Theo muttered something, but Draco couldn't make out whatever it was. When he saw Theo's breathing even out in his slumber, Draco looked at the golden ink on the boy's back. It looked as if it were reaching out to him.

He extended his hand out to the ink, seeing how his own black lines shifted from the back of his body to his arm and to the fingers that were close to Theo's tattoo.

Draco touched the tattoo, careful not to stir Theo awake; after the touch was made, their marks connected.

The blond withdrew his hand on instinct as if he'd touched something that burned him. He grabbed his wrist, looking up at the ceiling with frantic eyes.

"Merlin, help me," he said, in a low tone this time. How was he going to tell his best mate that they were soulmates? He'd never paid attention before, and he wished he'd paid attention to his mother's talks about the legends and principles regarding soulmates.

There was a simple, cowardly solution for him; he wouldn't. They were best friends, confidants for one another. Draco didn't know how to admit such a thing. It could end disastrously.

Besides, once Theo woke up (if Draco hadn't put a shirt on before then), he could discover it himself. Let him be the one to make the first move.

* * *

A/N: Written for HSWW (Challenges and Assignments) and The Houses Competition

(THC) House: Gryffindor; Year/Position: Year 4; Category: Standard; Prompt: [colour] gold

(HSWW) Assignment #3 Criminology Task 2: write about a tattoo with a secret meaning

Slash September: Draco Malfoy

August Auction: "Don't lie to me."

Character Appreciation: 5. (features) Messy Hair

Disney Challenge: T2 - write about someone's courage failing them.

Trope of the Month: Sharing a Bed - (item) blanket

Dark Lady's Lair: shimmering

Showtime: 1. (dialogue) "Can it be?"

Amber's Attic: 14. "Home is any place that makes you forget the world is on fire." (BONUS)

Count Your Buttons: S5 (Surprise Yourself by Jack Garratt), A1 (Soulmate), O4 (Jumper), D1 ("You heard that, right?"), W1 (Disastrous)

Lyric Alley: 24. You got a feeling, or at least you can pretend

Ami's Audio Admirations: 10. Write about someone with odd scars or markings.

Angel's Arcade: 9. E-123 Omega: (word) dark, (character) Draco Malfoy, (action) walking

Back to School: (word) question

Pinata Club: Soulmate!AU

Romance Awareness: Day 30 - Ink marks (similar to tattoos) are on your body. When your soulmate is in the vicinity, it will slowly move in their direction. When you touch, they connect.

Word Count: 901


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